Are LED lights safe?

July 3, 2017 by Ellen Evans

Rumours about the ‘dangers’ of LED light bulbs have been around since they were first invented. We thought it was about time we cleared up some of these misconceptions, as we wouldn’t sell something that was going to harm people!

There is no evidence that LED lighting is bad for your health – and switching to LEDs can make a huge difference to the planet, and your energy bills too.

Why do people think LED lights are unsafe?

There are several rumours about the health impacts of LEDs. One of the main purported risks is to eye health. Early LEDs tended to give off a cooler light than traditional bulbs. A lot of people believed that this could harm their eyes. This has never been proven, and there are now many warmer-toned bulbs on the market, so it’s not really relevant any more. Yes, exposure to any bright white light can damage your eyes if you stare directly at it from close proximity for long stretches of time. However, it’s very unlikely you’ll feel the need!

There have also been claims that LED lights affect your sleep. While it’s true that sleep and lighting have been scientifically linked, there is no evidence to suggest that LEDs are worse in this respect. Bright lighting affects your circadian rhythms, which are the natural patterns that put you to sleep and wake you up. There’s an easy solution to this: turn off/dim your lights close to bedtime!

There are lots of warm-coloured LED bulbs on the market these days, and you can find them for nearly every application. Whatever your current setup, you should be able to find a good LED swap for whatever you have at the moment!

Benefits of LED lighting

LEDs are hugely more efficient than traditional forms of lighting. This is because in halogen bulbs, 90% of the electricity going in comes out as wasted heat energy, and only 10% as light. With LEDs, this figure is reversed. As you’d expect, this will have a big impact on your electricity bills – and every unit of electricity saved reduces your carbon footprint too!

Considering their benefits, it’s hard to understand why some people are so anti-LEDs! Why not make the switch yourself? We bet you won’t go back!